Reaction
by betterthensomethingsoutthere
Summary: Jane working a case that hits close to things that have happened to her. M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The grass was still wet with dew where the body lay. Jane crouched in the Kentucky blue giving the victim a cursory look. Remember kids, unless you want to join Frost in the bushes, it's always "the body". Maura walked carefully on the slick grass towards her wearing some kind of ridiculous shoe for this slope. "Morning, do you need help?" Jane smirked as Maura's heel sank a little into the grass. "No thank you, I can make it" After a slow and careful descent Maura knelt beside Jane examining the body. "He was bound, something thin and fibrous. Cause of death appears to be from his throat being slit. It was a blade like object, the left jugular is cut, but the right appears to be completely severed." Jane peered around her hand, "So kill from behind from the angle of the cut, right handed, since the cut isn't as deep on the left side." "Jane, that's speculation until I do the autopsy." "Which will tell you that he was sliced from behind by someone right handed." Jane dug in his pockets, "Nothing in there, but this wasn't a robbery. It's way too brutal." Korsak came giving victim a hard look. "I think you're right Jane. There's a few fibers on his wrist. Let's get that bagged." Maura dug out a pair of tweezers and Korsak handed her a baggy. Maura zipped it closed "I'm taking the body. I'll get you results as soon as possible." Maura started to back up the hill, the very nice shoes providing very little traction. "Here." Jane took her arm giving her enough leverage to make it. "I'm sorry, I didn't consider the dew might not have evaporated yet due to shade." Jane smirked "Those trees always in the way, somebody should cut them down."

Jane was looking at pictures of horrible things. She ran the prints of the victim. He had a sheet. A very long sheet. In fact he had been a very bad person in life that had somehow made it through the cracks of the justice system. At the moment she was looking at pictures of a woman covered in bruises. Evidence had pointed at him as her rapist, but she broke down, and when that happened all the evidence had been circumstantial. He walked. He had raped that girl and walked. She started looking through recent murders, there was something familiar about the scene. An unsolved murder two years ago, he had also been a suspect in a rape case. _Hell, I should just let them get away with it. They're a vigilante. _While law enforcement could not condone vigilantism it sure made her feel good. But it still didn't change the fact that it was murder.

Jane was deep in thought when Maura startled her out of her thoughts. She leaned against the desk in her very easy on the eyes, but impractical outfit. Long legs descended her desk curving up from those ridiculous shoes that made her calves and butt look amazing. "Hey, what's up?" Maura flipped open the file, lips scrunched like she always did deep in thought. Brow with that cute furrow. "The attacker was shorter, about 5'3'' to 5'5''." Frost and Korsak joined them. Frost holding a stack of photos chimed in, "That fits with the foot prints we found on the scene. Size 5 shoes. Tread from a women's tennis shoe." Jane pointed at her screen, "I knew something was familiar...people, I think we have a pattern. There's a woman targeting suspected rapists." Everyone shared a moment as they processed the information until Korsak cleared his throat, "This is going to sound bad, but I don't know how I feel about stopping her."

Jane caught up with Maura as she was heading out of the precinct and linked arms. "We should get a drink." Maura quirked an eyebrow at her, "Is it because you feel conflicted about this case?" Jane pouted "Yeah." her playfulness dropped suddenly, "It's already in my head." Maura patted her arm, "I think Bass can wait a little longer for me to get home in that case, as long as you're buying." "Really? Come on, I don't even own my own house." "I don't think so."

At their regular booth at the Dirty Robber Maura sipped her wine while Jane tapped her beer on the table, "I ran a background on the victim. He was suspected of raping and beating a girl, but she freaked out during the trial and couldn't testify." Maura nodded giving her time. "And it reminded me of a case about a year ago that went unsolved. Similar set up, but was a high traffic area. No footprints we could tag as the attacker, but the cut was the same. Short attacker, slice neck. A stretch, but the victim was suspected of raping a co-ed he knew." Maura eyed Jane, "That's a thin similarity. How did you remember that?" Jane took a long drink, "I remember all of them. Every case, every victim, every mother, brother, sister, father, and spouse." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "It was a case that puttered out before it could get rolling. There just wasn't enough to go on. Everyone that knew him checked out. Everyone from the rape case was in another state at the least. I remember talking to the girl, Amy Simms. We had to check her out." Another drink to collect the memories. "She was better then most of the girls I see after something like that. She had pulled her life back together, but talking about it." She shook her head, "It was still bad, but she held together. Now someone is out there, basically doing what I would do. I want to give them a medal." Maura closed her eyes, "We can't work like that Jane. There is no perfect system, but people can't just take lives on their own opinion." "A medal I tell you. I know you're right, and I'll do my job, but I just don't feel the burn for it like I normally do." "Jane..." "I mean, I know what it feels like to be a victim..." her eyes were distant, in another place, but that hard line came back to her face, "and I know how fucking good it feels to take that power back." "But in this case the girls aren't the ones getting revenge, someone is taking them on for themselves." Jane looked at Maura over her drink idly reaching out to touch her hand on the table, wanting that small reassurance, "It felt good. I don't regret it." Maura turned her hand to squeeze Jane's "Hoyt?" "Yeah. I don't wake up afraid anymore. It feels good. Now when I have to shoot, it's just quiet." Maura frowned, "You never really talk about when you have to ...shoot. IA has been keeping a watch on you I hear." Jane snorted, "I think I'm about to set a record for youngest detective with the most kills." "I think it's more likely that you have ended up with some very dangerous cases." Jane was feeling a little warm, "You know what Maura, you always manage to make me feel better. I talk to you and it's like I'm draining something in me." Maura rubbed her thumb on the back of Jane's hand, "Talking is very cathartic." "Would it be weird if I wanted to stay at your place tonight?" Maura shook her head, "It's not weird at all. I can understand not wanting to be alone. This case is already getting to you." Jane snorted and took another drink, "You know that's not a good sign. This is how detectives burn out."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jane was comfortable at Maura's place. Her bed was huge so she would get to sleep on a mattress that cost more then her car. Jane was ready for bed and taking a moment to relax. She head the faucet shut off and Maura came out the bathroom in what she honestly had to call a night gown. Jane had the usual feeling of being under dressed in sweats and a tee. "Maura, you're pretty dressed up. You realize no one is going to see that." Maura brushed her hands down the front of the gown, silky cream, open back with lace touches. "It's lovely. Besides you're seeing it now." Jane rolled her eyes and wiggled under the covers. Maura did look nice in it, but Maura didn't own anything she didn't look nice in. "You know, you're very stressed you should..." "I swear if you say endorphins or sex I'm leaving." Maura pouted a moment, "Happy chemicals would help." Jane turned over in the bed.

Jane was dreaming. She was at work, sitting at her desk. The precinct was empty, she was just sitting. Maura was in front of her now, in heels and thigh highs and classy matching lingerie. "Wow." She leaned over Jane, "Sex releases endorphins." Maura was in her lap, underwear now missing, only the lacy black bra giving any cover. Her legs were flawless creamy skin, smooth curves pressed close to her. Oddly Jane noted she was shaved or maybe waxed. Maura's hair brushed against her neck as red lips brushed her ear, "Endorphins are good for stress." Dream Maura took Jane's hand slowly running it up her inner thigh moving closer...and closer... "Jane...Jane.." She woke with a start, "What? Huh?" "That was the alarm, go ahead and use the guest bath." Jane nodded dumbly as Maura slid off the bed in her silky confection. "Right. On it." Groggy she forced herself up. Sex dreams are always frustrating. _Thank God for Egyptian cotton towels_. Jane rubbed against one like a cat before stepping into the warm shower. She smirked as she looked up and noticed the shower head had a massage setting. _I couldn't...It's Maura's place, I'm a guest..._ she reached picking it up.

Feeling more relaxed Jane sat at her desk flipping through the rape case against their victim Arthur Morris. Emily Sutton had been working at the bookstore near the university campus. A recent graduate with a degree in sociology. Jane ran a hand through her hair, she really didn't want to do this.

Jane and Frost got out of the car to go see Emily at her apartment. They were about to head in to the building, "Frost. Um...considering what I'm about to talk to her about. I think you should wait out here." Frost's face went through a few emotions then realization, "Oh...yeah. I'll uh, be out here." Jane nodded and headed up. 504, she knocked and waited a few minutes before hearing a couple deadbolts, the door opened a crack, the chain still on. "Can I help you?" Jane tried to be non threatening, "I'm Detective Rizzoli, I need to ask you a few questions about Arthur Morris." Silence...the eye she could see got a little wider, "I...um...ok." The door shut again, she heard the scraping of the latch before it reopened. "Come on in."

Everything in the room was soft and quiet. Emily got comfy on the couch, Jane took the seat across from her. "Emily, I came to tell you Arthur Morris was found dead." Emily had a very strange reaction. She smiled, and cried. Jane knew better then to touch her. "Emily, I need to know where you were on Sunday." Emily blew her nose, "I was with my parents at all day. We went up to the lake." Jane made a note, "I'm going to need their number." Emily nodded, "Someone killed him?" "I can't really discuss an ongoing investigation." Emily handed her a paper with her parent's names and number, "He deserved it you know. Whatever happened to him, he deserved."

Of coarse her alibi checked out, so did receipts from the restaurant. Jane heaved a sigh of relief, she was glad Emily and her family were cleared. They had gone through enough. She had spent hours looking for some other connection, anything. All she had come up with so far was that they were both in Boston when they were killed.

_What am I missing?_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Howard Jones had been a bastard. Now he was a dead bastard. Taser burns in the back, throat slit. His body lay haphazardly on some faux rustic rock steps in a small park. The wallet had been on the body, ID and everything. He had been busted for dealing about 15 years ago when he was in college, also he had been questioned about a sexual assault at a party. Then 7 years later was questioned about another incident outside a bar. Nothing had stuck, only suspected with no proof.

"And he got away with it until now." Jane looked down at him and wasn't very sorry he was dead. Korsak came over looking down at the body with her.

"Real upstanding citizen."

"Yeah, now we just need to find a dead serial killer and the day will be even better."

"Hey, check this out." Frost came holding a sliver of something.

"Looks like a chip off a blade." Korsak leaned close looking it over.

Jane knelt by the body, "Look at his chain." She pulled it out of his shirt with her pen, a matte black chain falling onto his polo.

"Hmph, bling?" Jane kept pulling, a key came out with the chain. "I think we need to see Howard's apartment."

The apartment was a man cave. No real furniture, but a giant tv and three recliners in the living room. The fridge was all microwave food, coke, and beer. The bed was low to the ground. They started pulling things open. The dresser was sifted through, bathroom, kitchen. In the nightstand Frost pulled out a lockbox, "Jane!"

They gathered around it as Jane pulled the key out, "Looks right." A click later Frost pulled up the lid. "Oh God."

Inside were locks of hair. Blond, curly brunette, raven black, chestnut.

"Frost, pull up the picture of the girl he was accused of in college."

Frost pulled out his phone and turned it to Jane. She looked at it then carefully sifted through the box then pulled out a lock of hair exactly like the girl in the picture. Auburn, wavy.. "Well, at least we don't suspect, we know."

The sliver of blade had been a dead end. While useful to know, it was a generic butcher knife sold at just about every chain store that carried kitchen knives. Jane tapped her pencil eraser on the desk while she contemplated. _Ok, if I was going to profile this killer I would say female, victim of some kind of assault. But what would turn a victim into a vigilante instead of a mess...military training maybe? _On that hunch Jane looked up reports of assault victims that were female with military background. A couple hits, but nothing in Boston, or even close. Jane rubbed the bridge of her nose _I'll bet it happened on tour and never got reported, or at the least I won't have access. _

Maura set a cup of coffee on her desk, "That doesn't look good."

"What doesn't look good, and thank you Maura."

"Pinching the bridge of you nose, it's a negative body language."

"It's negative alright. Only thing I can figure is it's a woman that was assaulted, but then has the training and mentality to go vigilante about it. If it is military like I suspect, the chances of me getting to see those records is zero."

"I can understand that Jane, mil..._her lips look so soft, how does she get them to look like that?..._you never know what may compromise..._I wonder if she's a good kisser. I've never kissed a girl before, I wonder if it's better or worse..._so obviously in that kind of fraternity atmos..._does she sit on my desk like that on purpose? I can almost see up her skirt., if she would move just a little to the..._what do you think Jane?"

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up..." Jane took a long drink of her coffee to avoid being asked specifics of what she thought. _ "_Well, maybe if we look at radius then."

Jane pulled up the killing locations turning the sight of the attacks into the center of the circles and making a Venn type diagram. Maura leaned over her tracing along where the circles met, "I know that's a line of bars and clubs."

"Wait minute." Jane added the home addresses of all the "victims" she felt her mind scoff at calling them victims.

The sites of the attacks were all between that string of bars and clubs and the deceased's homes. Maura was leaning over her still, Jane turned her head to make a comment not realizing how close Maura had been leaning. The turn put her face close to Maura's...very close. "Oh." There was an awkward moment..."Oh sorry." Maura sat back up. Jane cleared her throat and turned the map so she could see better. Ok, this is good, they were probably all somewhere along that strip, then decided to walk home. The killer followed them out. We just need to figure out which is a bar all the bad guys hang out at.

The answer to that question after showing pictures around five other places was the "Dive Bar", all the other places along the strip of nightlife had made attempts to modernize, but the "Dive Bar" sat at the end of the row holding on tight to its hunched and hidden feel.

"Bars always look terrible in daylight." Jane commented as they waited for the bartender who had been working the nights of the murders to make it in. Frost nodded in agreement, "I feel greasy just being in here."

Booths tucked into dark corners, the bar itself and stools worn silky smooth with time. The walls were smoke stained and no amount of cleaning in the world would ever get that out. An older man whose look and body language screamed _retired hooligan_ came in wearing a t-shirt and jeans, work boots half laced.

"Hey Mark, those cops want to speak to you." the man they had been speaking to called out from the back.

Mark grunted and headed over to them, "Hey, I haven't done anything, so how can I help you."

Jane didn't like him. "Mark, I was wondering if you recognize any of these men."

"Yeah sister, I seen em in here. They come in pretty regular."

Frost leaned against the bar, "Did they come in together?"

"Nah, I don't think they ever even talked. This one." He pointed to the first dead, "Only comes in on Thursdays and never talks to nobody cept to order. Gets a burger. This guy," the second body found, "Comes in Friday and Saturday, stays real late, then goes out trying to pick up the girls coming out of the Rodeo." He frowned at the most recent picture, "I seen him, but not in here. He came in a couple times, but usually he goes to down to the Blue Moose."

So it was a lead, but it still left four bars and three clubs the killer could be in. Jane and Frost thanked him and left. Frost chuckled as he pulled the car door open, "Maybe we should issue a warning, if you're a bad guy be on alert for a girl coming to kill you."


End file.
